Migraine

Hello again.
Well, I have another Topamax question. I have been on 50 mg. for over 3 months. I have been getting leg cramps. The past week they have been severe. Yesterday I walked a few blocks with my dog and my legs ached terribly. I have a call in to my doctor. He did mention potassium for tingling but these are cramps. I am wooried about blood clots or something. Has anyone had this experience with Topamax? It is helping my migraines so I hate to give up.
Thanks
Trish

Trish,
You've got the call into your doctor which is the best thing to have done and you didn't wait!! I had some leg cramping on Topamax but the dosage was decreased for numbness in my feet (didn't stop). Yeah, I was ready to increase it since it was helping greatly, but I was still getting some minor migraines, but my doctor said no way!! She was such a doctor!!! I do love my neurlogist.

See what he says. He may have some reasonable suggestions for you. Sometimes supplements need to be taken with something else or with meals to be most effective, you might ask him or your pharmasist about that.

Good Luck,
Cindy

Of course, he's not on Topamax, but my DH had leg cramps so severe that he pulled a muscle in his calf. It swelled up, and the doc was worried that it was a blood clot. Turns out his potassium was on the low side. He takes prescription potassium supplements now. He can tell when he's missed a dose: his muscles start twitching somewhere.

Just a thought.

Gretchen in Mississippi

Hi Trish,

I am glad to see that you have a call into your doctor. I am on topamax too, but never really had the let cramps, just the tingles. You mentioned potassuim for the tingles, I heard that helps too.

As far as the leg cramps, yes talk to your doc about them. I do remember, when I was pregnant with my twins (long, long time ago and not on topa) I had bad leg cramps from a lack of potassuim. So, lack of potassuim can cause leg cramps, but other things can too. I know it is not really an answer to your question, but I hope it helps a little. Let us know what your doctor says.

Dar

The nurse called me back and said that they had not heard of leg cramps before with Topamax, just the tingling. My neurologist gave me a Rx for potassium and said to take some benadryl at bedtime also to help me sleep. When I went to pick it up my phyrmasist asked if they checked my potassium level through a blood test. When I said no he asked if I had a GP also (my GP moved out of the area about a 1 1/2 years ago) He suggested a physical. The last time I had my Zomig filled he asked if I knew that it constricted blood vessels and was not a good idea to take often if you have stroke, or heart disease in your family. He seems to care more that my neuro! I loved my GP, when she moved I never got around to finding a new one. I guess I will do both the potassium and go to get a physical with a new GP. Sometimes I feel like a experimental rat. The side effects are driving me crazy but the Topamax is helping with the vice grip and the migraine frequency.
Thanks for all the input it helped!
Trish

Hei Trish!!!

MIn name is Solveig and min Hubby is Dave. I using him account cuz I forget min password.

Just last week I hads leg cramps so severe I was almost hospitalized.

For me and I only speaks for and about minselve...when min potassium levels is low min limbs goes into cramps.

For me it relate to min kidney issues and adrenal issues. Makes it hard to keeps min K levels in normal range. I takes 14 Ktabs (ordered by min doc) and still min k levels get all wack out.

I know i no can gives adwise but when your doc calls you back i woulds ask if maybe shuld run blood test to see where you potassium levels is at.

Respects,

Solveig

I no a doctor nor does I plays one on the TV but it seems odd to prescribe k tabs witout testing you blood k levels.

Potassium range of safety no is huge. It dips too low and can cause cramos and other tings. Too high and run risk heart issues.

I on k tabs but I has get min k levels check every 6-8 weeks. Now, that may be due to min serious kidney issues but hmmmmmm....

I still feels uneasies about no checking blood levels.

But what does I know? I just a patient no a doctor.

Best of lucks to you and please be caresful.

Hugs,

Solveig

Hi Trish,

I am glad your doctor got back to you, I am no doctor either, but I kind of with Sollie on this one. He/She gave you an RX for potassuim without a bloodwork up? All I know is that you have to be careful of not enough potassuim and too much.

You nuero probably knows what they are doing and I am not a doctor. He/she probably did not prescribe enough to be harmful, but if you are concerned, I would put a call into the pharmasist and ask if that amount can be harmful to you.

I think that is a great idea to get a a physical and potassuim checked by a GP. And yes, sometimes we all feel like experimental Rats LOL. Hang in there

Dar

HELLO,
Thanks for the grear information. The potassium tablets are CL 10MEQ TAB.
The pharmacist said it was 10 times stronger than over the counter supplements and can effect your heart and whole system. I am getting tired of pills after 13 years. One thing seems like it hurts something else. I am not a drug taker anyway. I never even took anything before the last 9 years. That is about 36 years of normal life! My tongue has the burned feeling and my chest burns but I can live with that. The mental slowness is going away also. I think I want something to work ssosoooooo bad!! Did I mention "I HATE MIGRAINES!!!!!"
Trish

Hey there Trish. I'm Dave (Sol' man) and have been reading this thread with interest.

As my wife mentioned she is on 14 Ktabs. Hers is also 10MEQ each and you are correct they are stronger than anything you can try over the counter.

We have learned the hard way that you do not want to mess with K levels. Each of our bodys process potassium a tad bit differently and the safe range for K levels is small. Due to my wife's serious kindey and adrenal issues it is hard for her to keep her levels in the "normal" range. Poor girl takes 14 Ktabs a day plus two smoothies a day just to keep her levels at 3.4 which is the low side of normal.

My wife's Aunt who is in her 60's had a potassium scare about a year ago. Her doctor ordered her some Ktabs without checking blood levels and that proved to be a huge mistake. Sol's Aunt took the tabs AND added two banannas to her diet. After a few days her heart began going into skippy beats and she had some slight chest pains.

A few days later she had a massive heart attack which she survived but barely. Turns out that her k levels were on the high side of normal BEFORE the doctor gave her the ktabs. Had the doctor ordered some very simple blood work on her he would have never put her on the Ktabs.

So this hits close to home for us. Sol has a great doctor who checks her levels every 6-8 weeks but I think that is due to her kidney and adrenal issues.

In this case I would ask your doctor to run the test before I took any of the K Tabs.

Peace,

Dave

Hello Dave,

Thank you so much for the information. Sorry about your Aunt, something similar happened to my mom, so I am extremely cautious. She did not survive and had been to her doctor just two weeks prior to her death. I made an appointment yesterday with a new GP since my doctor moved out of the area.

Sometimes I think two heads are better than one.
Some Neurologists
are too brainey for common sense. I cannot get in to have a test until 6/11, my pharmacist, who is great, said not to take it without a test either.

I hope your wife is doing better, thank you both for the concern and info. I really appreciate it
Trish

Hi Trish,

Yes! I have been experiencing leg cramps on the Topamax. I notice them specifically when I exercise even a little,and also they sometimes are waking me up at night. My doctor checked my blood levels and my electrolyte levels were a bit low, which I believe could be causing the leg/muscle cramps. So this is something he wants to watch on me. I've been taking Topamax 100mg for 3 months.

You might ask your Doc for a blood test just to see where things stand...

Hang in there! I know these side effect are frustrating...I feel the same way..kind of like..Ok this is helping my head but at what cost! ARGH!

Britt

I just started taking Topamax and the first night I had really bad leg cramping

Yes, me too!

This was the only reason I discontinued taking Topamax the first time.

Your doctor really needs to check your levels before just handing over another pill.

Have some blood work done. I had the same as what Britt was talking about. Checking the electrolyte levels. Potassium dificiancy is not a side effect of topamax - cramping is, but its not one of the very common ones (trust me, I had my doctor searching through his trusty handbook of medicines which lists every side effect)

Please have them do bloodwork before you start taking something that either 1. you don't need or 2. can cause worse problems??


Try drinking some OJ or eating a banana everyday - if it's potassium this may help (and tastes better then a pill!)

Keep us posted ok?

Hi Trish--

Since last summer I've been having problems with dehydration, especially during migraines, but my doc has been very worried about me getting my electrolytes out of whack. So I now drink a bottle of an electrolyte replacement drink (a coke-sized one) every day, and my lab tests are staying more in midrange instead of a low normal to low. I also eat bananas. Orange juice tears up my stomach.

Tracie